Beholder
The Legend Begins

Some have described this debut as insufficient, others consider it disastrous and unlistenable; about the band, at the time of their debut, all sorts of things have been said. All this confirms my thesis that for years there has been a widespread fascination with foreign music among industry journalists in our country, which consequently influences the judgment of the average listener, who is always inclined to criticize certain groups just because they are Italian. Now the Beholder no longer exist (it is clear that the title of this album was not a statement of intent for the band); they have decided to close this chapter to dedicate themselves to other projects. This allows us to review this record with greater objectivity.

First of all, let's immediately eliminate the cumbersome comparisons with the much more famous Rhapsody (now Rhapsody of Fire); Beholder does not make excessive and overwhelming use of synths, letting Matt Treasure's and Markus Mayer's guitars dictate speed-power rhythms and construct the melodic lines of the various songs. However, everyone knows that this recipe has been overused by thousands and thousands of bands. So, among the blistering solos, accelerated tempos, and double bass rides, what can we salvage from the band's first work? What differentiates "The legend begins" from the sea of works flattened by clichés that have invaded the power metal market for years?

First of all, a distinguishable trademark: the alternation of male and female vocals, performed by Patrick Wire and Leanan Sidhe (alias Valentina Buroni, who has recently worked with former Anathema Duncan Patterson for the Ion project), possessors of rather peculiar timbres for the genre in question. The first is truly skillful and even slightly challenging to listen to, the second a bit static and almost perpetually anchored to mid-range tones. This vocal style, which has been largely overused by many gothic metal bands, is in this case quite pleasant and makes the listening less monotonous (also because, given the lack of diversity of the styles adopted, boredom could easily set in), but still lacks truly memorable interpretative peaks or passages. It is also a pity that the two singers limit themselves to alternate roles instead of engaging in duets and blending into one voice; with a bit more work in this area, the album's success would certainly have benefited.

The fast tracks (predominant in the first half of the platter, except for an orchestral intro) are graceful and dynamic, but I believe that Beholder gave their best in the slower passages, such as in the interlude "The journey", where Leanan becomes a minstrel in skirts, singing a beautiful medieval melody that explodes in the subsequent "The oath", amidst roaring guitars, captivating choirs, and Pete Ryan's cheerful and inspired keyboard simulating an accordion (at last, this instrument, for almost the second half of the record, carves out some space). The following "The fallen kingdom" is very melodic and symphonic, mostly set on mid-tempos; amidst its medieval melodies here and there, the old Rhapsody peaks out, but Beholder knows how to stand out (the vocal alternation is as always effective). There's also room for a sweet semi-ballad where even echoes of Queen can be heard, namely "Until darkness falls", which surprises especially for the different performance of the two singers (the final intertwining is beautiful, the only one in the entire album), much more intense and sentimental and clearly based (unlike the other tracks) on interpretation rather than power.

Sure, the prerequisites for the album's tracks to be appreciated by a wide range of listeners are all too latent, so those not passionate about power metal and those who do not yet know the band will not find even a minimum of transcendental material within "The legend begins", perhaps a diversion, while all those still seeking a variation on the overused themes of Helloween and Blind Guardian should undoubtedly acquire this group's discography.